Ben Hogan’s Secret Fundamental

Author Larry Miller whose a Life Member of the PGA of America
and former PGA Tour player has a new book out that peels back the
curtain about the legendary golfer Ben Hogan and the secret to his
amazing shot making skills. The book’s title is Ben Hogan’s Secret
Fundamental: What He Never Told The World.
Ben Hogan is universally considered the greatest ball striker in
the history of the game. In the book Miller talks about the influence
golfer Tommy Bolt (Hall of Famer and 1958 U.S. Open Champion) had on
his game and the valuable insight Bolt gave to him about encounters
with Hogan.
Bolt was a great player with a cantankerous attitude which was
well deserved, but he took Miller under his tutelage sharing the
secrets that had been taught to him by the master himself. Through the
relationship Miller had with Bolt he gained access into an inclusive
inner circle of Hogan’s trust. Through this unique friendship he
learned the secret of Hogan’s
iconic swing that thousands have attempted to uncover and replicate
throughout the decades.
Since Hogan’s death in 1997 and his wife Valerie’s a few years
later numerous books slowly started to come out from people who knew
Hogan and his wife, giving personal accounts about their relationships
with the famous golfer. Ultimately, Miller decided that after the
passing of his golf mentor Tommy Bolt he finally felt free after all
these years to share what he learned and what was passed onto him
regarding Ben Hogan’s secrets.
Starting on page 29 the reader learns of Hogan’s Code of
Secrecy. Bolt, a Hogan protégé, stated in the book that “if you ever
hoped to be a trusted friend of Hogan’s, you better make sure that
your word or your handshake was your bond. An unbreakable bond.”
I learned while reading the book that one of the first things
Hogan changed in Tommy Bolt’s swing was his grip. It was after that
initial grip change where Bolt’s career started to take off. Miller
addresses the 1955 Life magazine issue where Hogan declared that he
was revealing his “secret”. That magazine article brought a lot of
attention and speculation from the best players and teachers in the
golf world to wonder exactly what Hogan meant. Over the decades Hogan
would periodically give people he knew some golf tips and ask them not
to tell anyone what he told them.
Hogan was well known for his “digging it out of the dirt” reference,
however what he told Tommy Bolt was “the secret of the golf swing.”
Bolt had his own famous quote about Hogan saying, “Who was
better, Jack Nicklaus or Ben Hogan? I’ve seen Jack watch Hogan
practice, but I never saw Hogan watch him.”
Miller’s book is filled with some great anecdotes from those who
knew Hogan best regarding the kind of man he was on and off the
course. There are some terrific practical drills and tips that can
really help improve your game. If you’re a golf history nut like me
you’ll enjoy the chapter on unpublished Hogan stories and other greats
of the game which I found fascinating.
Also, the chapter on Hogan’s secret of course management I found
to quite enlightening. Ben Hogan’s ball striking was golf’s equivalent
of Wayne Gretzky’s slap shot in Hockey, Muhammed Ali’s Knockout punch
or the great Sandy Koufax’s fastball.
Miller’s new book unlocks the mystery surrounding Ben Hogan
golfing prowess and in the process will help golfers everywhere to
come closer to playing the game at a higher level.
If you’re a fan of golf or a fan of the great Ben Hogan this
book is a must have for your collection. Ben Hogan’s Secret
Fundamental: What He Never Told The World delivered on many levels for
me and I highly recommend it for anyone serious about taking their
game to the next level learning with priceless information from one of
the all-time greats of the game.
So is Ben Hogan’s secret finally revealed in the book? The
answer is a resounding Yes! However, you’re going to have to buy the
book to learn what it is. So in order to get your copy today go towww.amazon.com or visit the publishers website atwww.triumphbooks.com. The book is available in paperback and Kindle.
Tom Ward can be contacted at www.teetimewithtom.com